Kathmandu, Aug 12 (IANS) At least 17 persons died and another six went missing after floods and landslides swept through southern Nepal on Saturday due to heavy rainfall, a minister said.

Kathmandu, Aug 12 (IANS) At least 17 persons died and another six went missing after floods and landslides swept through southern Nepal on Saturday due to heavy rainfall, a minister said.

Home Minister Janardan Sharma said in a press conference that of the victims, nine died in landslides while the rest drowned in the floods, Efe news reported.

Another four persons were in critical condition, he added.

According to the minister, 15 districts in the south of the country were affected by the heavy precipitation and around 15,000 homes were flooded.

Rescue operations by the army and police are ongoing, said Sharma.

Nepal’s Meteorology Department said precipitations reached 227 ml in some districts and announced that moderate to heavy rain was expected to continue in the centre of the country until Monday.

The floods since Friday night have forced thousands of families to shift to shelters and has damaged property, livestock, cattle and crops.

The water level in many rivers has crossed the danger mark, with a threat to houses and livelihood.

The situation remained tense on Saturday along the basins of major rivers like Saptakoshi, Kankai, Babai, Rapti and Mohana. The floods have created havoc in districts like Banke, Bardiya, Dhanusa, Saptari, Siraha, Sunsari and Morang.

In the last month, at least 30 persons have died in incidents linked to rain, which is heavier during the monsoon season that is currently on in South Asia.

Landslides and floods are common in Nepal during the monsoon season and the rest of the region.